We do love to be beside the seaside – but we don’t like having to pay whacking room rates for the privilege.So we’ve scoured the UK’s coastline in search of the best-value places to stay, with the best ambiance and rooms too. There’s no need to shell out hundreds of pounds, especially if you pick your dates carefully – and book in advance.Maybe it’s time to plan a British break by our wildlife-rich, dramatic shores, and perhaps ‘go for a stroll along the Prom, Prom, Prom! Where the brass bands play, Tiddely-om-pom-pom!’ – as the old musical hall song goes.Here’s our pick of places to stay without blowing the budget… but staying in style.In the South West Classic Cornwall – Godolphin Arms, Marazion Overlooking the castle on pyramid-shaped tidal-island of St Michael’s Mount in the small town of Marazion, the Godolphin is right by a pleasant sandy beach. Rooms are tastefully decorated in neutral colours – the best facing the causeway to St Michael’s Mount. There’s a jolly restaurant (bowl of mussels £16), pub and beach bar.Book it: Doubles from £143 B&B (thegodolphin.com)Scilly secret – Hell Bay Hotel, Isles of Scilly On the tiny, remote and wonderfully quiet island of Bryher (population 177) in the Isles of Scilly, Hell Bay Hotel is in fact a heavenly place to stay, close to a little sandy cove with nearby rugged headland rocks facing the Atlantic Ocean. Comfortable, pastel-coloured rooms are spread across a series of buildings. The top-class restaurant serves excellent seafood, and there’s a good little spa.Book it: Doubles from £210 B&B (hellbay.co.uk).Right on the beach – Watergate Bay Hotel Surprisingly few British hotels are right on sandy beaches, but Watergate Bay Hotel, a mile northeast of Newquay in North Cornwall, has steps down to the sands of Watergate Beach. It’s a buzzy hotel with a popular Beach Hut restaurant serving crab burgers and Cornish mussels (about £20 for a main), 25m infinity pool, sauna and hot tub on a deck.Book it: Doubles from £280 B&B (watergatebay.co.uk).Quiet Cornish sands – The Nare Facing Carne Beach on the Roseland peninsula, The Nare is billed as a ‘country house hotel by the sea’ – thanks to its traditional style featuring lounges with comfy armchairs, formal restaurant, works of art, smartly dressed staff and well-tended grounds. You’re right by the golden sands with fine views of cliffs on a headland. Expect indoor/outdoor pools, a hot tub, sauna and tennis court.Book it: Doubles from £447 B&B including afternoon tea (narehotel.co.uk).Devon delight – Saunton Sands On a clifftop near Braunton in North Devon facing a long beach flanked with dunes, Saunton Sands comes with indoor and outdoor pools, spa, yoga classes and 78 tastefully decorated rooms including family suites. The main restaurant serves monkfish, haddock and steaks, while burgers and pizzas are offered at the Beachside Grill.Book it: Doubles from £190 B&B (sauntonsands.co.uk).Design sensation – Scarlet Hotel Expect wooden outdoor hot tubs amid a grassland-style garden with a ‘reed pool’, plus saunas, a spa, suspended ‘cocoon pods’ (fancy hammocks) and an indoor pool at the Scarlet hotel in Mawgan Porth on Cornwall’s north coast. This adults only eco-hotel, a short walk to Mawgan Porth Beach, has sleek pared-down rooms and a well-regarded restaurant.Book it: Doubles from £260 B&B (scarlethotel.co.uk).Sublime for surfers – Headland Hotel Overlooking sandy Fistral Beach, one of Britain’s best for surfing, on the edge of Newquay in North Cornwall, the Headland Hotel opened in 1900 in an imposing red-brick building. The hotel’s motto is ‘relaxed, not formal’, despite its grandeur, with modern, elegantly decorated rooms. The spa has pools, saunas, massage treatments and yoga sessions.Book it: Doubles from £260 (headlandhotel.co.uk).Salcombe surprise – South Sands Hotel Facing Kingsbridge Estuary on a quiet cove just to the south of Salcombe, South Sands Hotel is tucked away by a small curve of beach. Best rooms overlook the sea, while ‘beach suites’ have living rooms with kitchens. The restaurant enjoys ceiling-to-floor windows facing the water and serves mussels, crab and fish bouillabaisse.Book it: Doubles from £190 B&B (southsands.com).Sensational South Devon – Gara Rock Some of the stylish rooms at Gara Rock have ceiling-to-floor windows facing the rugged South Devon coastline, with the quiet sands of Gara Rock Beach way below. It’s across the estuary from Salcombe in rolling countryside and comes with a superb spa, plus indoor/outdoor pools and a sauna. The well-run restaurant serves St Austell Bay mussels and ‘masala bouillabaisse’.Book it: Doubles from £360 B&B (gararock.com).Art deco dream – Burgh Island Hotel The size of the main beach at Burgh Island hotel in South Devon depends on whether the tide is in or out. The tiny tidal island – home to the elegant, Art Deco hotel – is reached either on foot or by sea tractor. Burgh was opened in 1929 and became a favourite of Agatha Christie, who requested a beach house to be built as a writer’s retreat. Now it’s one of the top rooms, on stilts above the shingly shore.Book it: Doubles from £505 B&B (burghisland.com).In the SouthOn Chesil Beach – The Seaside Boarding House The Seaside Boarding House is on a cliff facing Chesil Beach in Dorset, an 18-mile stretch of shingle that’s perfect for long coastal walks, with the dramatic towering cliffs of Burton Beach nearby. The ‘boarding house’ is, in reality, a small, nine-room hotel. There’s a lovely little bar and restaurant.Book it: Doubles from £245 (theseasideboardinghouse.com).Miami meets Dorset – The Nici Enjoy a taste of Miami Beach-style living at the super-slick The Nici hotel, overlooking the fine sandy beach with its shallow waters at Bournemouth. Opened three years ago (in 2023), it’s got a minimalist, designer look with whitewashed walls, splashes of modern art, a cocktail bar, cinema room, spa, narrow outdoor pool with sun loungers – plus sleek, comfortable rooms.Book it: Doubles from £171 B&B (thenici.com).Brilliant in Brighton – Artist Residence Tucked away at the top end of Regency Square in Brighton – enjoying Channel views from the front – it’s a short walk to the shingle beach from the boho-chic, 25-room Artist Residence. This hotel is in a townhouse dating from the 1820s, with a little cocktail bar/bistro, where grilled prawns, lemon sole and salads are served.Book it: Doubles from £161 (artistresidence.co.uk).West Sussex winner – The Black Horse It’s just a stroll up a hill from the lovely secluded pebble beach at Climping to The Black Horse pub, on a lane within the quiet village. The inn dates from the 17th century and comes with seven comfortable rooms with patterned wallpaper. The pub downstairs has leather chesterfield sofas, a pewter bar and food menu featuring fish pies and steaks.Book it: Doubles from £199 B&B (hshotels.co.uk).Stylish Studland – The Pig on the Beach The PIG on the Beach in Studland, Dorset, offers tastefully decorated standard rooms, plus stays in converted huts, wagons, cabins, bothies and dovecotes within the grounds. Spa treatments are available, and there’s a cocktail bar, plus a restaurant serving locally sourced dishes. It’s a five-minute stroll from the higgledy-piggledy main building to the beach.Book it: Doubles from £169 (thepighotel.com).Elegant Eastbourne – Port Hotel On the Royal Parade in Eastbourne – facing its three-mile shingle beach – the Port Hotel is a sleek boutique bolthole with 19 splendid, minimalist rooms; the best are Channel-facing. The restaurant features lobster ravioli, steaks, crab cakes and cheeseburgers. Rum sours, mojitos and martinis are served at the hip, curved wood bar.Book it: Doubles from £113 B&B (porthotel.co.uk).In the South EastEast Sussex Dunes – The Gallivant Facing the lovely rolling dunes of Camber Sands in Camber, just to the east of the historic town of Rye, The Gallivant is a hip, bohemian hideaway with smart, designer rooms featuring reclaimed wood panels and splashes of modern art. The restaurant, overseen by ex-Bibendum head chef Matthew Harris, serves hake, mussels, crab and oysters. ‘Wild yoga’ classes are offered.Book it: Doubles from £421 (thegallivant.co.uk).Margate sands- No 42 Margate Enjoy the golden sands of Margate Beach in Kent – and pop into the Turner Contemporary art gallery after going for a dip – while staying at No 42 Margate. This small hotel, a stroll from the beach in a Victorian building, has 21 smart rooms in neutral colours. There’s a lively rooftop bar, a lounge bar and a steak-and-tacos restaurant.Book it: Doubles from £240 (guesthousehotels.co.uk/no-42-margate).Regal in Ramsgate – Albion House Hotel Close to the Royal Harbour and Ramsgate Main Sands in Kent, Albion House Hotel is in a 1791 building that’s rich in history – Queen Victoria resided at the property for a period when she was still Princess Victoria, accompanied by her mother the Duchess of Kent. It’s in pride of place on a prominent corner with 14 comfortable rooms.Book it: Doubles from £123 B&B (albionhouseramsgate.co.uk).In the EastSplendid Norfolk – Holkham From the Victoria it’s an amble to the sweeping sands of Holkham beach, one of Britain’s finest. This traditional hotel, owned by Holkham Estate, features 20 elegant rooms with exposed beams and antiques. Dishes in the well-regarded restaurant include salmon pie and venison curry. Take time to drop by in Holkham Hall, an 18th-century Palladian-style mansion.Book it: Doubles from £180 B&B (holkham.co.uk).Thameside views – Roslin Beach Hotel Facing the Thames Estuary on the Essex side on the edge of Southend-on-Sea, Roslin Beach Hotel is a pastel-coloured boutique hotel with enticing room rates – although sea view doubles (the ones you really want) are more expensive. Expect posh interiors and a restaurant serving seafood and steaks. It’s a ten-minute amble to the pier.Book it: Doubles from £99; sea view from £180 (roslinhotel.com).In the NorthNorthumberland Sands – Beadnell Towers Up on the northeast coast near Bamburgh Castle, Beadnell is a quiet village beside tumbling dunes and a golden-sand beach. Stay at Beadnell Towers, a ten-minute stroll to the sea, with 22 rooms featuring exposed stone walls mixed with patterned wallpaper, plus beams and comfy iron-framed beds. The popular bar/restaurant serves seafood and pies.Book it: Doubles from £144 B&B (beadnelltowers.co.uk).Moreish Morecambe – The Bath Morecambe Close to the sandy beach at Morecambe, the Art Deco-style rooms at the Bath hotel-cum-craft-beer-bar are in soothing aquamarine colours. It’s a perfect bolthole for walkers with the promise of the cosy Bath Tap bar to return to at the end of a day’s hike – cask ales on tap, plus a famous local clam chowder on the menu.Book it: Doubles from £90 (thebathmorecambe.co.uk).Scarborough secret – Bike and Boot Rooms at Bike and Boot in Scarborough, just up the cliff from the superb curve of sand on Scarborough Bay (accessed via steps or a funicular), are decorated in bright old railway posters from the North Yorkshire resort’s heydays in the early 20th century. Downstairs is a jolly US-diner style bar/restaurant serving pizzas and burgers.Book it: Doubles from £110 B&B (bikeandboot.com).Blackpool banker – Number One South Beach A minute’s stroll from the sands, Number One South Beach in Blackpool may have a rather bland-looking redbrick exterior, but inside rooms are wacky and eye-catching with bright patterned wallpaper and huge beds; some with four posters. There’s a glittery gold bar with polka dot sofas and bottles of prosecco for £24.Book it: Doubles from £155 B&B (numberonesouthbeach.com).In WalesPerfect Pembrokeshire – Llys Meddyg Hotel Close to the broad stretch of Newport Sands at the mouth of the Nevern Estuary within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Llys Meddyg Hotel in Newport makes a great base. There are eight sophisticated rooms, some with super king-sized beds, and all with designer furniture and modern art. The restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients, with beef, lamb and seafood featured.Book it: Doubles from £160 (llysmeddyg.com).Welsh delight – Albion Aberteifi In the town of Cardigan in the county of Ceredigion, the maritime-themed Albion is beside the River Teifi and is a couple of miles inland from the delightful Poppit Sands Beach. The dozen rooms have reclaimed wood walls, with hanging lanterns, wool blankets and dark colour schemes – designed to look like captains’ cabins.Book it: Doubles from £185 B&B (albionaberteifi.co.uk).Speedy sands – The Caban Right by the lovely, seven-mile beach at Pendine in Pembrokeshire – home to rock pools, dramatic cliffs and the sands where Sir Malcolm Campbell set the world land speed record of 146mph in 1924 – The Caban is a comfortable, good value, down-to-earth hotel facing the sea. The homely restaurant serves curries, lasagnas and beef cawl (stew) for £12.Book it: Doubles from £130 (cabanpendine.wales).Infinity pool dream – St Brides Spa Hotel Relax in the infinity pool overlooking the sweep of beach at Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, watching waves break on the shore below at St Brides Spa Hotel. This stylish clifftop hotel has smart rooms, many with bay-facing balconies. Massages (from £88 an hour) are offered at the spa. Lobster features on the restaurant menu.Book it: Doubles from £231 B&B (stbridesspahotel.com).In ScotlandGolden sands of Islay – Another Place, The Machrie On the edge of dunes leading to a long crescent of golden sand on the Isle of Islay, Another Place, The Machrie is a super-slick, five-star hotel with a golf course. Rooms have a pared-down sophistication, many with ceiling-to-floor windows offering gorgeous views. Enjoy the top-class spa (using seaweed-based ishga products). Venison, salmon and lobster feature on the restaurant menu.Book it: Doubles from £230 B&B (another.place).Oban delights – No 26 by the Sea No 26 by the Sea is less than a mile-long stroll from Ganavan Sands, a quiet beach to the north, and an amble to the bustling centre of Oban in Argyll and Bute, with its lively pubs and distillery. Across the way is the Isle of Kerrera, offering great walks and more beaches. The nine tasteful rooms are smartly decorated and warm. The comfy downstairs lounge has an honesty bar.Book it: Doubles from £212 B&B (no26bythesea.com).Romance of the Rhins – Portpatrick Hotel Overlooking the harbour and beach at Portpatrick on the Rhins of Galloway in south-west Scotland, Portpatrick Hotel is in a commanding spot on a hill above cliffs by the Irish Sea. From the outside, if you squint your eyes, it looks a little like a French chateau, with its turrets and narrow windows. There are 55 colourful, comfortable, good-value rooms.Book it: Doubles from £66 B&B (portpatrickhotel.co.uk).In Northern IrelandAmazing in Antrim – Elephant Rock Hotel With 18 strikingly bright rooms featuring colourful wallpaper with tropical foliage and mosaic patterns, Elephant Rock in Portrush, County Antrim, is a short walk from a trio of lovely sandy beaches on a Victorian terrace facing the rocky shore of a headland. The eye-catching restaurant/cocktail bar serves seabass, curries and steaks, plus first-rate cocktails.Book it: Doubles from £182 B&B (elephantrockhotel.co.uk).